How can fred Phelps be allowed to practice terrorism ???

[Bluerthanblue]

from the American Heritage Dictionary:
ter·ror·ism (tĕr'ə-rĭz'əm) pronunciation
n.

The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.


Phelps' motivation is to manipulate and intimidate the actions and lives of others- He DOES use the threat of violence, and intimidation to try and force others to conform to his ideology- And, he firmly believes the violence and harm is something that is real, and deadly-

It isn't 'free speech' if it is threatening others to conform to your agenda- it is TERRORISM.

And war should be declared against america, because 'it' harbors and fosters him- (not to mention enables him).

This isn't satire- I firmly believe this is a form of domestic terrorism.

[Lost-in-FL]

1. You are right...

We were talking about that here... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x101875

[tyedyeto]

2. You got it!

But the Repugs will never consider a fundy as a terrorist.

I give you Eric Rudolph: who bombed abortion clinics for 'fun'.

I give you Pat Robertson: who advocated the assassination of Hugo Chavez, the elected leader of Venezuela.

Were they charged as terrorists? No!!! Even tho they definitely met the criteria for being a terrorist.


Ooops, on edit: sorry, I got the name wrong of the abortion and Atlantic Olympic bomber.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. That would be...

Eric Rudolph.

Sorry to play fact Nazi. I'm an editor. :blush:

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. What's up with all the Phelps threads tonight?

Listen, those of us in Kansas who have put up with his crap for over a decade have been trying to tell you all that the best way to deal with Fred Phelps is to IGNORE HIM. I am willing to bet his group is monitoring DU and is getting a great bid kick out of knowing they have annoyed us.

Unfortunately, he has first ammendment rights just like the rest of us do. As much as he repulses me, I will defend his right to free speech before I would give up my own.

The man thrives on attention. IGNORE HIM. That's how to annoy him.

[Bluerthanblue]

6. ignoring wrong is enabling wrong isn't it? he doesn't go away, and

he will not go away-

And first ammentment rights are NOT absolute- I cannot say I'm going to murder you, without expecting to be held accountable for that threat-

I will not defend the right to his 'speech' when that speech is not only a threat, but a real weapon used to manipulate and deny the freedoms of others-(and if it were simply him, that might be less of a threat, but he willfully incites others to join him)-

Ignorance isn't bliss, and silence in the face of oppression and intentional malice, is tacit approval, and it could be argued, an accessory to criminal activity.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. So why don't you come on out here to Kansas and give it your best shot?

I have tried to tell you we have been battling him for over a decade. But I guess we don't know anything about him and we are just ignorant. Or criminal accessories!! :eyes:

You know what's interesting? The only time I hear anything about Phelps anymore is here on DU. The local media NEVER gives him any air time. He protested right up the street from my house and I read about it in a British newspaper.

He LOVES making people mad. He is getting an incredible amount of pleasure from your anger right now. Hope that cause you to stop and think. But then again, you probably think I am an ignorant criminal accessory who has no idea what I am talking about.

[Bluerthanblue]

9. he was here in our neck of the woods (maine actually) and HAS

been here in my home state after Gene Robinson was made Bishop-

And, while you may be frustrated by the inability to stop him- (I share that frustration- believe me) and be ashamed of him- (as a liberal, progressive christian I'm ashamed that I get linked to ANYTHING he promotes)- Ignoring him has NOT stopped or silenced him.

I do NOT think you are an ignorant criminal accessory - I think you are frustrated and fed up-- but the man and his sick, cruel activities must be stopped. And if we hold this administration accountable to thier 'word'- that would require he be arrested, and held as an enemy combattent.- Turn about isn't fair play- but the rule of law is not flexible.

I'm not your enemy- I'm not phelps' enemy- but he chooses to see those who won't bend to his twisted agenda that way-

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Well it sure seemed to me that you were calling me "an

ignorant criminal accessory":
"silence in the face of oppression and intentional malice, is tacit approval, and it could be argued, an accessory to criminal activity."

I am not frustrated by the inability to stop Phelps. I am grateful to live in a nation where he has the right to his hate speech.

I also know he will fizzle out and go away if we just ignore him. He has already lost his audience here. He rarely protests on his home turf anymore; he goes to the locations where the locals and the media pay him the most attention. (NOT here in Kansas) :;

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Talk to an attorney and get back to us

I have done that.

Phelps is not threatening to murder anyone. He is not yelling fire in a crowded theater. So he gets to have his protests.

And we are all free to ignore him.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. Those who serve the right wing agenda can not be terrorists

By definition.

Phelch serves the right wing agenda in several ways:

* He gives voice to the disgust and self-loathing that "mainstream" Christian leaders dare not utter but can still agree with, simply by keeping their silence.

* His very extreme views allow the far right wing to appear moderate. "Oh, I think he's wrong in wanting to murder every homosexual. It would be enough just to round them all up and send them off to a concentration camp in Utah somewhere."

* Protest against a self-proclaimed minister can be used to feed the "Christians are being persecuted by godless heathens!" cash cow.

* If a Phelch demonstration turns ugly or if he otherwise diminishes in usefulness, he can be turned in to a prominant excuse for an across the board crackdown on free speech, assembly and other civil rights.

:tinfoilhat: probably, but then again....

[Bluerthanblue]

8. not in NH- "Live free or Die" but don't use 'fighting words' - as

this case demonstrated-

Case Summary for Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire
The following is a notable passage from Justice Murphy’s opinion: "Allowing the broadest scope to the language and purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment, it is well understood that the right of free speech is not absolute at all times and under all circumstances. There are certain well-defined and narrowly limited classes of speech, the prevention and punishment of which has never been thought to raise any Constitutional problem. These include the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, and the insulting or 'fighting' words-those which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality. 'Resort to epithets or personal abuse is not in any proper sense communication of information or opinion safeguarded by the Constitution, and its punishment as a criminal act would raise no question under that instrument.' Cantwell v. Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296, 309 , 310 S., 60 S.Ct. 900, 906 . . . ."

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/faclibrary/casesummary.aspx?case=Chaplinsky_v_NH

[High Plains]

12. It's not terrorism, it's asshole-ism

[boobooday]

13. How can Fred Phelps be allowed?

eom

[kiki]

14. Tsk, that's just the 'Dictionary' definition...

...what do those egghead dictionary writers know? Didn'tcha know that George now signs little bits of paper saying that 'terrorism' - and anything else for that matter - means exactly what he wants it to mean?

The dictionary, honestly. That's so 'Oldspeak'. It's doubleplus lame.